Parties change candidates hours before nomination closes

Bhubaneswar, March 26: Odisha's three major political parties - BJD, Congress and BJP today announced change of their candidates hours before completion of the nomination paper filing process.

While the ruling BJD changed its sitting MLA Alekh Jena from Rajnagar, the BJP changed two candidates and the Congress undertook a similar exercise for three of their nominees.

Though BJD president Naveen Patnaik had named Jena for the Rajnagar Assembly segment, he was replaced by Dhruba Charan Sahu. Congress has allotted ticket to Lala Manoj Ray in place of Sitakanta Mishra, who was earlier named as the party candidate from Nayagarh Assembly segment.

Jyoti Mohanty, who was named as the Congress candidate from Chandbali, was replaced by Amiya Mohapatra while Subrat Das replaced Laxmi Devi from Bhandaripokhari seat.

The opposition BJP too changed two of its candidates at the last hour. BJP candidate for Nilgiri Assembly segment Dr Pratap Chandra Rath was replaced by Sushma Biswal.

Amruta Jena, the party's candidate for Brahmagiri Assembly segment was replaced by Debendra Nath Tarai.

PTI